Snow White and the Seven KIDS?

Dwarf actors left feeling grumpy as Snow White production axes them to save money - and brings in children wearing masks

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 12:11 PM on 20th April 2011

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Seven dwarfs have been axed from a Snow White pantomime performance because they are too expensive - and replaced with children in masks.

Theatre managers in Wolverhampton say the actors cost up to £850 a week each and the move should save £40,000.

Pantomime producer Jonathan Kiley said: 'Dwarfs are very, very expensive.'

Dwarfs were used in the 2006 production of Snow White at the Grand Theatre when Birds Of A Feather star Lesley Joseph played the Wicked Queen

Seven dwarfs did appear in a previous production of the Disney classic at the city's Grand Theatre in 2006.

Mr Kiley, who is also director of Qdos Entertainment, which is behind the production, blamed the soaring cost of pantomimes for the cutbacks.

'Shows have become incredibly expensive as audiences expect amazing effects and sound quality they would get from the stereo in their homes,' he said.

'Money isn't limitless and dwarfs are very, very expensive'

'We want the shows to be as fantastic as possible and we spend a lot of money on effects.

'It costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to put the show on but we have to balance that. Money isn't limitless and dwarfs are very, very expensive.'

But the decision by Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has angered panto-goers and dwarfs.

Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs opens at the theatre on December 10 and stars former Page 3 girl Linda Lusardi as The Wicked Queen and her husband Sam Kane as the Prince.

Mr Kiley claimed children worked 'quite well', adding: 'With the masks and costumes on, they look just like the Disney dwarfs.'

The decision to axe dwarfs from the Wolverhampton production has angered some panto-goers. One said: 'How can you have Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs without dwarfs?'

Peter Burroughs, director of Willow Management who provide short people to play dwarfs, said: 'It's not fair at all - it will lose its magic.

'It's tradition to have dwarfs in this role - the clue is in the name in the first place.

'I had one guy on our books who was due to perform there - he is absolutely devastated.

'With the masks and costumes on, the children look just like the Disney dwarfs'

'These guys are trying to earn a living wage, Wolverhampton theatre is stripping small people of their livelihood.

'It's not very nice to be exploiting them like this and I hope the general public see this.'

John Eley, a teacher, from Walsall, who was planning to go to the performance, said he had now changed his mind.

'It's cutting corners, isn't it? How can you have Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs without dwarfs? It's utterly ridiculous and I will not be attending,' he said.

'You could understand it at a school pantomime but not in a big theatre. It's a bit of a rip-off.'

Snow White runs at the Grand until January 22. Auditions for 14 children and two standby 'dwarfs' will be held at the Grand this summer.